 |
|
Cruise Line News
Best Bets and
Values
|
|
Some Picture(s) Courtesy of
Their Respective Cruise Line or Company
Cruise
Series on TV 3/28/03
Mark your calendar for
Monday, April 14. That’s the night that the Travel Channel begins its
five-day “Cruise Week” series. The program will kick off at 8 p.m. EST
with each segment lasting one hour.
The first night will feature Royal Caribbean’s
Adventure of the Seas during "Great Cruises: Adventure of the Seas."
The show will feature an in-depth look at the engineering, design and
day-to-day operations of the 3,114-passenger ship as it plies the
southern Caribbean.
On Tuesday, April 15 Cruise Week will focus on Disney
Cruise Line; on Wednesday, April 16 viewers can catch “Cruise Ship
Secrets”; and on Thursday, April 17 the show will bring viewers
onboard Princess Cruises’ Star Princess. Friday, April 18 marks the
end of the series with "Great Cruises: Radiance of the Seas," a look
at Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas in Alaska, which first
debuted in December.
Each segment will be re-aired at 11 p.m. the night it
debuts, and again on select days. Check your cable listing for more
details or visit
www.travelchannel.com.
San
Diego Gets Spirit 3/27/03
Carnival Cruise Lines will operate two round-trip
cruise from San Diego this fall aboard the Carnival Spirit. A six-day
Baja Mexico voyage will depart on October 18, while an eight-day
Mexican Riviera cruise will set sail on October 24.
The six-day cruise will visit La Paz and Cabo San
Lucas; and the eight-day voyage will call at Acapulco, Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa,
and Manzanillo
First-Time, Long Time
3/26/03
Closer to home cruising just got another notch in its
belt. Celebrity Cruises announced today that it will become the first
cruise line to sail from Jacksonville, Florida, when it begins southern
and western Caribbean cruises from the Jacksonville Port Authority's (JAXPORT)
Dames Point Marine Terminal this fall.
The new series of 13 cruises aboard the 1,374-guest
Zenith range from 11 to 14 nights in length and will depart Jacksonville
on varying dates from October 27, 2003 through April 22, 2004. The ship
will call at Roatan, and Labadee as well as transit the Panama Canal on
western routes, while the southern Caribbean itinerary includes an
overnight stay in Barbados, and visits Tortola and Grenada. That’s not
too many port calls for 11- and 14-night cruises.
JAXPORT officials report that they have worked to
attract cruise ships to Jacksonville for years; their most recent effort
began in 1999, co-sponsoring a cruise study with the Jacksonville
Economic Development Commission (JEDC). The study revealed that
Jacksonville had grown in the last 20 years to become a city with the
basic criteria needed to attract cruise vessels, including good port
facilities, population base, highway connections and airport capability.
Following its six-month series of cruises from
Jacksonville, Celebrity will assess the potential to base a ship there
permanently in 2004.
Zenith currently is sailing in South America, and will
head to Jacksonville after its New York to Bermuda cruises this summer.
War Fares
3/25/03
In addition to SeaDream Yacht Club’s previously
announced “No Stress, No Strings” policy of no cancellation penalties
the line is adopting new, priced-to-move tariffs called “War Fares” for
its 2003 European season. Effective immediately, individual bookings for
the Mediterranean seven-day sailings of SeaDream I and II start at
$1,699 per person, double occupancy, down from the published rate of
$3,450 per person.
These prices apply to Yacht Class staterooms on the
SeaDream I and SeaDream II, including gratuities and beverages.
Government fees, handling and service charges for seven-day
Mediterranean sailings are an additional $235 per person. The line
states it has no intention of changing its itineraries.
Guests already booked on the cruises will receive a
cash refund, upgrade or a future sailing credit (for new bookings only)
equal to the difference in price, plus 25 percent.
“While all businesses, including the travel industry,
have been hit hard by war and other uncertainties, SeaDream seeks to
jump-start the consumer’s right and desire to travel,” said Larry
Pimentel, president and CEO of SeaDream
RSSC Delays Med. Season
3/24/03
![[ssc Radisson Diamond]](../../Images/March03/dia3.jpg)
Radisson Seven Seas Cruises’ Radisson Diamond won’t
head over to the Mediterranean as early as expected this year. Instead
the ship will stay in the Caribbean, with 13 new seven- to 14-night
voyages April through July, before repositioning to the Mediterranean
for an abbreviated season on August 2.
From April 23 to July 26, the Radisson Diamond will
sail between San Juan and Fort Lauderdale, and roundtrip from Fort
Lauderdale, on 13 seven-, 10-, 11- and 14-night eastern and western
Caribbean voyages. Ports of call include St. Maarten, Netherlands
Antilles, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, British West Indies, Virgin Gorda,
Grand Turk, St. Barts, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Key West, Florida.
Per person prices for the seven-, 10-, and 11-night
cruises start at $1,598, $2,198 and $2,398 respectively, including
two-for-one savings, shipboard gratuities, liquor and wine.
On its way out of Caribbean waters, Radisson Diamond
will set sail on a nine-night transatlantic crossing from San Juan to
Madeira. The ship will sail between Nice, Rome (Civitavecchia), Athens
(Piraeus), and Istanbul until November 10, then depart for San Juan to
begin its fall Caribbean season.
Radisson also has decided to delay the Song of Flower’s
re-entry into the Mediterranean. The ship, which has been laid up since
last November because of its cancelled South America season, will return
to service on May 26 instead of April 21, and skip a month of
Mediterranean cruises. Instead the ship will head over to the Baltic and
Western Europe for the summer and sail the waters in the Med. in
September and October.
The Seven Seas Navigator’s Bermuda season has been
altered a bit as well. Additional Bermuda sailings have replaced four of
the ship’s Baltic cruises that were originally slated for June and July,
but have been cancelled. Instead of sailing from New York to Copenhagen
on June 25, and sailing between Copenhagen and Stockholm on July 9, 16,
and 23, the Navigator will stay in Bermuda and New England/Canada. On
June 25 and July 2, the ship will sail seven-day Bermuda cruises
round-trip from New York; on July 9 and 16 it will sail between New York
and Montreal; and on July 23 the ship will sail from New York to
Copenhagen where it will sail a short series of Baltic cruises until it
heads back to New York on August 13.
Crystal Charts New Course in
2004
3/22/03
All things are new for Crystal Cruises 2004 cruise
season – ports of call, itineraries, a world cruise, and a ship. The
line has 89 itineraries to 178 destinations in 56 countries on tap for
its three-ship fleet – Crystal Symphony, Crystal Harmony, and Crystal
Serenity (to debut this June).
All three ships will sail new seven-day routes to the
Caribbean, Mediterranean, and New England/Canada, while Crystal Serenity
will sail a 106-day world cruise. A winter series of 10-day Hawaii
cruises will take off round-trip from Honolulu. Twenty-eight cruises
will sail round-trip from domestic ports and 33 voyages will begin or
end in North American ports.
Maiden calls include Christmas Island in the Republic
of Kiribati, Nuuk in Greenland, Calvi on France’s island of Corsica and
Zadar in Croatia.
“2004 marks our first full year with a three-ship
fleet,” says Adam Leavitt, Crystal’s senior vice president of marketing.
“With a wide range of domestic and international cruise itineraries from
seven to 106 days, our guests will have more choices than ever before.”
Sailing to a Theater Near You
3/21/03
Royal Olympia Cruises’ Olympia
Voyager will make its big-screen debut in movie theaters nationwide
today with the release of Artisan Entertainment’s romantic comedy,
Boat Trip.
Filmed onboard Olympia Voyager in June 2001, the
high-jinks story of love and misadventure follows the ship’s actual
itinerary to Athens, Mykonos, Istanbul, Santorini, and Alexandria. The
cast features Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire, Pearl Harbor),
Horatio Sanz (Road Trip, “Saturday Night Live”), Vivica A. Fox (Independence
Day), and Roselyn Sanchez (Rush Hour 2) – not to mention the
cameo made by Olympia Voyager’s Captain Georgios Apistolas
Here’s the gist of the movie:
Hoping to get his mind off his ex-girlfriend Felicia,
heartbroken Jerry (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) joins his best friend Nick on a
tropical singles cruise. But when Jerry and Nick realize they’ve
accidentally booked a gay cruise, all they can think of is jumping
ship-that is, until Jerry falls for Gabriella, a gorgeous dance
instructor who, after a string of bad boyfriends, has given up on love.
Hoping to get past Gabriella’s defenses, Jerry pretends to be gay, but
matters get complicated when both Jerry and Gabriella start to feel the
heat of mutual attraction. And when Felicia unexpectedly appears on
board hoping to win her ex-boyfriend back, Jerry is faced with the
decision of a lifetime.
Check your local listings!
ICCL
Spreads Reassurance 3/20/03
The International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) sent
out an advisory today regarding the safety of cruise ships in current
events and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Operation Liberty
Shield, which safeguards cruise ships sailing from U.S. ports.
The cruise industry’s highest priority, the advisory
said, has always been the safety and security of guests and crew. Under
normal circumstances security programs are stringent, but since the
events of Sept. 11, 2001, and now with the Operation Liberty Shield
campaign commencing, the cruise industry has heightened our level of
security even further.
ICCL added that its member lines are working closely
with the agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, which
include the U.S. Coast Guard and the Border and Transportation
directorate, as well as state and local authorities to ensure
passengers’ safety and security. Member lines have security officers on
every ship and security professionals in every company headquarters
whose sole responsibility is to ensure the safety of passengers and
crew.
The advisory also stated that understandably, some
people might be cautious right now about leaving home for any reason.
But the cruise industry wants to assure everyone that booking a cruise
remains a safe and secure means of relaxing and enjoying a stress-free
vacation away from home.
The organization says that cruise passengers should be
very comfortable with the additional visible security measures the
industry has taken. Additional security measures include increased
inspections of luggage and carry-on articles, additional security
personnel and controls, increased U.S. Coast Guard patrols at seaports
and the use of canine inspections.
The following links will take you to additional
security and travel information:
Rock
Climbing for All
3/19/03
Rock climbing isn’t just for those on Royal Caribbean
International’s Voyager-class vessels anymore. The line has decided to
put up the wall on all of its ships by November 2003, including those
launched before 1999, and on three vessels scheduled to debut in late
2003 and spring 2004.
“Over the past few years, the rock-climbing walls have
become a brand icon for us,” said Dan Hanrahan, senior vice president,
Marketing and Sales, Royal Caribbean International. “They reflect a new
attitude toward cruising and epitomize the innovations and unexpected
experiences guests enjoy on a Royal Caribbean vacation.
Located on the ships’ top decks, the top of the
walls is nearly 200 feet above the ocean. The walls are designed for
both beginners and advanced climbers. Lessons are offered on every
sailing by trained ship staff, at no extra charge.
Fleetwide installations will begin in late May with
Monarch of the Seas, while the remainder of the ships will be outfitted
with rock-climbing walls by the end of the year: Majesty of the Seas
(June); Sovereign of the Seas (July); Rhapsody of the Seas (August);
Enchantment of the Seas (August); Grandeur of the Seas (October);
Splendour of the Seas (October); Nordic Empress (November); and Legend
of the Seas (November).
Squeaky
Clean 3/18/03
Oceania Cruises is really cleaning up onboard. The line
is the first to team up with Florida-based UltraClenz LLC to install
state-of-the-art Pro-Giene technology throughout its two vessels,
Regatta and Insignia.
Electronically based, touch-free dispensing devises and
hand-wash stations will be added to the food services areas, and
touch-free hand sanitizers will be installed in the passenger
accommodation areas. Pro-Giene badges will remind employees to wash
their hands on a timed-interval basis (i.e., 30, 45,60, 90, or 120
minutes) where each step is electronically validated with a flashing
light or an audible tone to alert an employee that a hand wash is due,
then it’s time-stamped and recorded.
CDC recommends that hand washing is the number
one way to prevent the spread of food-borne infections. According to
Pro-Giene, their system can increase the volume of proper hand washing
from 300 to 400 percent.
“We’re proud to have Oceania Cruises as our first
cruise industry partner. Through the use of our state of the art
technology, we hope to be instrumental in providing their guests peace
of mind by ensuring the highest standards in shipboard hygiene,” added
Charles Johnston, President and CEO of UltraClenz.
If all cruise lines adopt this method, maybe they can
say good-bye to the Norwalk-like virus for good!
Oceania Changes Course
In other Oceania news. . . the line has announced
changes to Insignia’s first two voyages.
The ship’s October 4 and 18 departure dates have been modified to
incorporate calls at Barcelona, Malta, and Monte Carlo.
Instead of sailing from Barcelona to Istanbul on the
first voyage, the ship will sail round-trip from Barcelona on a 14-day
route, avoiding calls in Turkey. The ship will substitute calls in Sete
and Istanbul and sailing in the Aegean Sea and Dardanelles Straits with
a call in Monte Carlo, cruising the French Riviera, and a visit to
Valletta.
The second, a 12-day voyage, will sail from Barcelona
to Civitavecchia instead of Istanbul to Civitavecchia. Calls at
Istanbul, Kusadasi, Athens, and sailing in the Dardanelles Straits have
been omitted, and replaced with visits to Valletta, Corfu, and cruising
in the Ionian Sea.
Princess to Give Oscars
3/17/03
Passengers sailing on Princess
Cruises’ vessels during the Academy Awards ceremony on March 23, won’t
have to miss the big event. They can celebrate Hollywood's biggest party
of the year onboard as the line broadcasts the ABC ceremony live across
most of the fleet in the ships' main lounges.
Guests will be treated like stars themselves, too. The
line will set up its own red carpet for attendees – complete with
"paparazzi" photographers – as well as have celebrity look-a-likes.
Shipboard fashionistas will be as busy as Joan and Melissa Rivers
determining the best- and worst-dressed passengers, so make sure you
wear your finest threads!
Cruise directors and their staff will be in their
formal best to host Oscar parties for viewers as they eagerly await the
announcements of the winners. Will "Gangs of New York"; "Chicago,"; "The
Hours"; "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers"; or "The Pianist" get
top billing? You can vote! Passenger film critics who pick the winners
can win prizes awarded throughout the evening, such as dinners in
Sabatini's Italian trattoria or spa treatments.
How fun!! Don’t sit this one out.
Oosterdam
Delayed 13/15/03
Holland America Line’s Oosterdam will debut three weeks
late. The 1,848-guest ship was originally scheduled to sail its maiden
voyage on July 10, 2003, but instead it will depart London (Harwich)
on August 3, 2003.
“The Oosterdam is the first Holland America ship
to sail its maiden voyage from Europe in five years,” said A. Kirk
Lanterman, Chairman and CEO, Holland America Line. “This additional
time provides an opportunity to showcase the ship to the European
market and ensure that the crew and ship enter service at the highest
possible standard.”
Guests who had booked passage on July 10 or July 22
will be able to choose from alternate sailing dates, including the
Oosterdam’s four remaining Baltic itineraries. Those scheduled on the
canceled sailings who rebook will also receive cabin upgrades and
shipboard credits.
The Oosterdam will now sail a total of four Baltic
cruises between London and Copenhagen with departures through
September 8. Its 12-day itinerary includes Oslo, Norway; Arhus,
Denmark; Warnemunde, Germany; Visby, Sweden; Estonia; St. Petersburg;
Helsinki; and Stockholm. On September 20, the Oosterdam offers a
12-day “European Capitals” cruise from London to Rome, followed by
four Western Mediterranean sailings between Rome-Lisbon or
Venice-Lisbon on October 2, 14, 26 and November 7. The European
Capitals sails to Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Lisbon, Seville and
Monte Carlo. The vessel will conclude its Europe season with a 14-day
transatlantic sailing November 19 from Lisbon to Ft. Lauderdale.
Liberty for All
3/14/03
First there was Conquest, then Glory, then Valor, and
now – Liberty.
Need a clue?
Think “Carnival.”
The line has chosen the name Carnival Liberty as the
name for its new 2,974-passenger ship scheduled to enter service in
fall 2005. As the fourth in the line's Conquest-class series, the
110,000-ton vessel will be constructed by Italian shipyard Fincantieri
Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A., and will basically mirror the other
three vessels – Carnival Conquest, Glory and Valor. Carnival Glory is
set to launch year-round seven-day Caribbean cruises from Port
Canaveral on July 19, 2003, while and Carnival Valor is set to debut
in fall 2004.
Carnival Liberty will have four restaurants, including
two twin-level formal dining rooms, a two-deck-high casual poolside
eatery, and a steakhouse. The ship will house 22 lounges and bars,
including a sports bar, wine bar, and a piano bar.
According to Carnival, particular emphasis will be paid
to Carnival Liberty's children's facilities, which will include a
4,200-square-foot play area and a 1,800-square-foot teen club and
video game room.
Sixty percent of the ship's 1,487 staterooms will offer
either an ocean view or balcony, and four swimming pools will be
onboard.
Cruise ‘N Stay on the Queen
Mary
3/13/03
Carnival Cruise Lines has come up with another bright
idea. In conjunction with the opening of the new Long Beach Cruise
Terminal at the Queen Mary, the line is offering one- to three-night
pre and post-cruise land packages aboard the historic Queen Mary hotel
beginning in April 2003.
The new Queen Mary hotel packages, which can be
partnered with three- and four-day Baja cruises aboard the
2,052-passenger Ecstasy, and seven-day Mexican Riviera voyages aboard
the 2,052-passenger Elation from Long Beach, include overnight
accommodations aboard the Queen Mary, a self-guided tour of the ship,
and a rental car.
"The opening of the new Long Beach Cruise Terminal at
the Queen Mary not only marks an exciting new chapter for Carnival's
West Coast cruise operations but also provides our guests with a
unique opportunity to stay aboard one of the most elegant and famous
ocean liners in history," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president. "We
are pleased to have the opportunity to share the history and nostalgia
of one of the most famous ocean liners of all time with those sailing
aboard the state of the art Carnival cruise ships. I believe I speak
for the entire Queen Mary staff when I say that we are elated to
welcome Carnival passengers to our property," said Joseph F. Prevratil,
Queen Mary president and CEO.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the
81,237-ton Queen
Mary remains one of the most famous transatlantic liners in history.
The 1,019-ft. long classic liner boasts 365 Art Deco-inspired
staterooms and a wide-range of dining venues, including Sir Winston's
featuring award-winning California/continental cuisine; Chelsea, an
upscale seafood restaurant; and The Promenade Café, a casual eatery
offering panoramic views.
Visitors can partake in a variety of guided tours
and a Ghosts & Legends of the Queen Mary show. The Queen Mary also
houses meeting and banquet rooms, an on-board wedding program, a
variety of shops, and a Champagne Sunday brunch. Guests staying at the
historic hotel can also visit nearby attractions such as The Aquarium
of the Pacific, Shoreline Village and Rainbow Harbor.
One-night Queen Mary packages, including rental car,
start at $115 per person; two-night packages at $200 per person; and
three-night packages at $240 per person, based on double occupancy.
The Queen Mary hotel stays can be partnered with the
Ecstasy's three-day cruises departing Fridays to Ensenada, and
four-day voyages departing Mondays to Ensenada and Catalina Island, as
well as Elation's seven-day sailings to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and
Cabo San Lucas departing every Sunday (this program will be taken over
by the 2,124-passenger Carnival Pride beginning in September 2003).
HAL Venture into Sea of Cortez
3/10/03
Holland America Line’s Ryndam and Statendam will head
into the Sea of Cortez this year with seven-day itineraries round-trip
from San Diego. The voyages will spend two days at sea before arriving
at Loreto for scenic cruising in Sierra de la Giganta and a Mexican
fiesta and clambake. The ships will then spend a few days in Pichilingue
(La Paz) and whale watching in Cabo San Lucas before heading back to San
Diego.
The ships also will sail seven-or eight-day Mexican
Riviera cruises and nine- or 10-day cruises that combine both
itineraries. The seven-or eight-day Mexican Riviera cruises sail to Cabo
San Lucas, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta, while nine- or 10-day
additionally visit Pichilingu, Santa Rosalia, Loreto, and Cabo San
Lucas.
"Our Mexico itineraries appeal to guests who appreciate
both the comforts of festive resort life and the opportunity to explore
Mexico's unspoiled natural beauty," said David A. Giersdorf, senior vice
president, marketing and sales. "And the Ryndam and Statendam provide
guests with an intimate, relaxed and elegant atmosphere, making our
Mexican vacations a truly unforgettable experience.”
Seven-day Mexico cruises start at $699, while the
10-day Sea of Cortez and Mexican Riviera itinerary starts at $1,099 per
person/double occupancy.
Back to the top
To view the complete ratings and reviews and Best
Bets
Subscribe now! |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
